Mazo Beach
Encyclopedia
Mazo Beach is the only legal public nude beach
in the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
. It is located on the Wisconsin River
between Mazomanie and Sauk City, Wisconsin
. Because Mazomanie is in Dane County and Sauk City is in Sauk County, nudity is legal only on the beach. Nudity is also allowed on roughly half of the river, on the eastern side, facing the beach. With seasonal changes in the size and shape of the river and the beaches, as well as disputes over where the county boundary is, controversy has developed over where bathers can be nude and where they cannot. Beachgoers generally remain on the eastern side of the river to avoid any legal disputes.
On a hot summer weekend, the beach may see hundreds of people. In the recent past, conservative groups have occasionally protested near the beach. Bills have been introduced at the Wisconsin legislature to make nudity illegal on any land managed by the state Department of Natural Resources, which would outlaw the beach, but so far these have not passed.
Nude beach
A nude beach is a beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sometimes the terms clothing-optional beach or free beach are used. Nude bathing is one of the most common forms of nudity in public. As beaches are usually on public lands, any member of the public is entitled to use the...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. It is located on the Wisconsin River
Wisconsin River
-External links:* * * , Wisconsin Historical Society* * * *...
between Mazomanie and Sauk City, Wisconsin
Sauk City, Wisconsin
Sauk City is a village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,109 at the 2000 census. The first incorporated village in the state, the community was founded by Agoston Haraszthy and his business partner, Robert Bryant...
. Because Mazomanie is in Dane County and Sauk City is in Sauk County, nudity is legal only on the beach. Nudity is also allowed on roughly half of the river, on the eastern side, facing the beach. With seasonal changes in the size and shape of the river and the beaches, as well as disputes over where the county boundary is, controversy has developed over where bathers can be nude and where they cannot. Beachgoers generally remain on the eastern side of the river to avoid any legal disputes.
On a hot summer weekend, the beach may see hundreds of people. In the recent past, conservative groups have occasionally protested near the beach. Bills have been introduced at the Wisconsin legislature to make nudity illegal on any land managed by the state Department of Natural Resources, which would outlaw the beach, but so far these have not passed.